1997 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

1. Remove the guide from its storage clip on the side of
the seatback. 2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into
the slots
of the guide.
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1 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.
I The elastic cord must be under the belt and the 1
1 guide on top.
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4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as
described in “Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
(Extended Cab)” or “Rear Seat Outside Passenger
Positions (Crew Cab)” earlier in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.
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To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the
belt edges together
so that you can take them out from
the guides. Slide the guide onto
the storage clip.
Make sure you remove the comfort guide from the belt
before you fold a rear seat down
or use an easy-entry
seat,
if your vehicle has one.
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes
infants and
all children smaller than adult size. In fact,
the law in every state in the United States and in every
Canadian province says children up to some age must be
restrained while
in a vehicle.
Smaller Children and Babies
/I CAUTION:
Smaller children and babies should always be
restrained in
a child or infant restraint. The
instructions for the restraint will say whether it
is
the right type and size for your child. A very
young child’s hip bones are
so small that a
regular belt might not stay low on the hips, as it
should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the
child’s abdomen.
In a crash, the belt would apply
force right on the child’s abdomen, which could
cause serious or fatal injuries.
So, be sure that
any child small enough for one
is always properly
restrained in a child or infant restraint.
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Never hold a baby in your arms while riding in a
vehicle.
A baby doesn’t weigh much -- until a
crash. During a crash
a baby will become so
heavy you can’t hold it. For example, in a crash
CAUTION: (Continued) at
only
25 mph (40 km/h), a 12-1b. (5.5 kg) baby
will suddenly become a 240-lb. (110 kg) force
on your arms. The baby would be almost
impossible
to hold.
Secure the baby in an infant restraint.
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Child Restraints
Be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions
on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in
your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within
the restraint to help reduce
the chance of personal injury.
The instructions that come with the infant or child
restraint will show
you how to do that.
Where to Put the Restraint
(Except Extended Cab and Crew Cab)
The child restraint must be secured properly in the
center or right front passenger seat. If your vehicle has
air bags and
you want to secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front passenger’s seat, you need to
turn
off the passenger’s air bag. See “Securing a Child
Restraint
in the Right Front Seat Position“ in the Index
for more on this, including important safety information.
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A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of a rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Be sure to turn
off the air
bag before using a rearfacing child restraint in
the right front seat position.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move
around
in a collision or sudden stop and injure people
in the vehicle.
Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint
in your vehicle -- even when no child is in it.
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Where to Put the Restraint
(Extended Cab and Crew Cab)
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommend that
you put your
child restraint in the rear seat, if your vehicle has one.
If
you have a Crew Cab, never put a rear-facing child
restraint
in the right front passenger seat. Here’s why:
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A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s
air bag inflates. This is because the back of
a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. If
you have a Crew Cab,
always secure a rear-facing child restraint in the
rear seat.
CAUTION: (Continued)
You may, however, secure a forward-facing child
restraint
in the right front seat. Before you secure
a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as it will go. Or,
secure the child restraint in the rear seat.
If you have an Extended Cab, your vehicle has a switch
on the instrument panel that you can use to turn off the
passenger’s air bag. But use this switch only when
you
want to secure a rear-facing child restraint at the right
front passenger’s position. See “Securing a Child
Restraint
in the Right Front Seat Position” in the Index
for more on this, including important safety information.
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Top Strap
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of
a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Be sure to turn
off the air
bag before using
a rear-facing child restraint in
the right front seat position.
Wherever
you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move
around in
a collision or sudden stop and injure people in
the vehicle. Be sure
to properly secure any child
restraint
in your vehicle -- even when no child is in it.
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can
ask your GM dealer to put it in for you. If you want
to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell you
how to do it.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position (Extended Cab)
If you have a Crew Cab, see “Securing a Child Restraint
in a Rear Outside Seat Position (Crew Cab)” later in
this section.
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part \
I about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
I 1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through
or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
Tilt the latch plate
to adjust the belt if needed. If the
shoulder belt goes in front
of the child’s face or neck,
put it behind the child restraint.
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